 "Photo: Lisa Armstrong")
Looking around the Lincoln Park campus, it is easy to separate students from business people, faculty or other college employees. Their clothes give them away. What are typical items in a college wardrobe and what is it that draws students to them? A few things come to mind: The sea of plaid that floods a lecture hall, the ever-present Uggs and leggings, and the headphones that keep students electronically connected. It is difficult to miss many of these college staples. If you have missed them, keep your eyes peeled and check out this primer: you might be surprised by how many you recognize.
COLLEGIATE WEAR
College gear is a must-have for the stereotypical man on campus. DePaul sweats are quick to throw on and multitask as a nod to the university. Whether boys are wearing hoodies, t-shirts, sweats or hats, the ensemble is comfortable, affordable and easy to find. Boys can be spotted anywhere sporting clothes from their favorite teams or colleges they have visited. The get-up does not necessarily have to have any meaning, just a popular kind of clothing with college guys. College gear can range from expensive to cheap, with the more expensive sweatshirts and sweatpants ranging around $60.
College gear is always going to be hip around campuses because students are forever rooting for some team, usually their own. Students everywhere buy university related clothing for tailgates, game days and parties.
HEADPHONES
It is hard to come across a student walking around campus who can actually hear anything besides what is streaming through the iPod and into their ears. The ever-growing popularity of Apple products and iPods leaves those little ear buds a must-have accessory.
As the iTunes library grows, students' attention spans shrink while the ear buds are in and volume is up. Heads down and phone in hand, students these days are not just listening to music. They are talking, walking, texting and communicating at all different wavelengths.
THE NORTH FACE JACKET
Not just your standard winter jacket, anymore, The North Face clothes are fashion forward, multi-functional and all over colleges near you. The North Face trend is not one that will die soon.
The North Face company makes not just jackets, but also fleeces, zip-ups, light jackets that can be worn in fall or spring, t-shirts, sweatpants, gloves, hats and mittens. A trend for both men and women walking campuses, The North Face functions as both style and purpose. Why wouldn't a student want to look fashionable while they are trying to stay warm?
UGGS
A staple in many college girl's wardrobe, Ugg boots reign supreme for stereotypical college students. UGGs typically cost $160 and function as a casual and comfortable shoe that can be worn any season, although this is not recommended. For something that is worn as a multi-seasonal boot, they usually only last about a year if worn frequently. The fur on the inside wears way and they do not hold up properly in snow or rain.
Krista Sifuentez, an information desk employee at the Student Center, said, "College girls, mostly around this time of year, I see them in either leggings or yoga pants with boots on like Ugg boots or snow boots."
Oddly, despite their popularity, most people do not seem to like them. Designers call them a fashion disaster, boys think they are hideous, and in honesty, even many girls know they are not that cute, even when wearing them on their own two feet. But they are functional: Uggs serve as a shoe that can be thrown on easily and will give a solid attempt to keeping the busy college girl warm. They can be worn with almost anything and serve as a pant protector, as well. Most college girls tuck their jeans, sweats or leggings into them, keeping the bottoms of their pants from getting wet, snowy or dirty.
PLAID
These days plaid does not just come in the form of a flannel button-down.; it is worn as coats, scarves, hats, skirts and more. Carrying over from the ‘90s grunge fashion, plaid has now taken over as the quick and comfy way to dress for class. Although it began as fall fashion several years ago, the variety and options are now available year round. The checkered shirts are not just limited to flannel but come in a variety of fabric materials. Plaid is the standard dress code for retail stores like Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister Co.Longtime employee and assistant manager at Hollister in Orland Park, Kim Majchrzak, has watched plaid rise in popularity.
"I think one reason why plaid is so popular is because it is versatile," Majchrzak said. "The most recent plaid fad began around 2009 with more of a preppy look to it and the college kids are definitely the ones who wear it the most."
LEGGINGS
This trend replaced yoga pants and sweats on college campuses. The tight stretch pants that now serve college girls as both workout gear and dress pants, come in many different sizes, lengths, materials and colors making them seem appropriate for almost any situation.
Kristin Brooks and Kristen Busing, DePaul students, said when picking out a female college student, it is always the "black pants, boots and hoodies—like leggings and Ugg boots," that give her away. Leggings, which started being worn as cropped pants for longer tank tops, now are worn with anything from sweatshirts to collared shirts. The college girl can basically live in them, and some do, owning many pairs; alternating different kinds through the week.